How to Completely Remove OneDrive From Windows 11

To completely remove OneDrive from Windows 11, unlink your account in OneDrive settings, then open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, select the three dots next to Microsoft OneDrive, and select Uninstall. Microsoft says you won’t lose files or data by doing this, because they stay in your account at OneDrive.com. The catch is that files stored only in the cloud are not on your PC, so download anything you need before you start.

Before You Start

These steps are for Windows 11 with the Microsoft OneDrive sync app, which is the app that puts a cloud icon near the clock and a OneDrive folder in File Explorer. The same Microsoft instructions cover Windows 10, where the app list is called Apps & features.

• You may be asked for an administrator password. Microsoft notes that the uninstall can prompt for an administrator password or confirmation.
• Some PCs can’t uninstall it. Microsoft says OneDrive is built in to some versions of Windows and can’t be uninstalled. If that is your PC, use the hide method further down.
• Work or school PCs are different. If your organization manages the computer, OneDrive may be required or locked by policy. Ask your IT administrator before removing it.
• You may have two OneDrive apps. Microsoft explains that Microsoft OneDrive is the backup and sync app, while OneDrive from the Microsoft Store only lets you view your files. Removing everything means uninstalling both if both are listed.

Step 1: Make Sure Your Files Are on the PC

OneDrive uses a feature called Files On-Demand, which shows every file in File Explorer but only downloads a file when you open it. A file with a blue cloud icon is online-only. It takes up no space on the PC, and it can’t be opened without an internet connection and a working OneDrive.

1. Open File Explorer and select your OneDrive folder.
2. Right-click the files or folders you want to keep on this computer and select Always keep on this device.
3. Wait for the download to finish. Files that are stored on the PC show a green circle with a white check mark.
4. If you are leaving OneDrive for good, copy those files to a folder outside OneDrive, such as a new folder on the C drive or an external drive.

Copying keeps a second copy in the cloud. Moving a file out of the OneDrive folder removes it from OneDrive online. Our guide on how to move files from OneDrive to your PC explains the difference in more detail.

Step 2: Turn Off Folder Backup

OneDrive can back up your Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Music, and Videos folders. When that is on, those folders live inside OneDrive. Turn it off before you uninstall so the files end up back in the normal folders.

Warning: the option that brings the files back to your PC also removes them from OneDrive. Read the choice carefully before you confirm.

1. Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area, which is the group of icons near the clock.
2. Select the Help & Settings gear icon, then Settings.
3. Open the Sync and backup tab and select Manage backup.
4. Select the toggle next to each folder to turn its backup off.
5. When asked, choose between keeping the files only in OneDrive, which removes them from your computer, or only on my PC, which removes them from OneDrive.

If you see “Some files couldn’t be moved,” the folder still contains online-only files. Go back to Step 1, mark the folder Always keep on this device, and try again. Microsoft also notes that open files can’t be moved, so save and close them first, and that OneNote notebooks can’t be moved to the computer because they are cloud-based.

Step 3: Unlink OneDrive

Unlinking signs this PC out of OneDrive and stops syncing. Microsoft calls it the easiest solution if you just don’t want to use OneDrive, and you can stop here if that is all you need.

1. Select the OneDrive cloud icon in the notification area. If you don’t see it, select the small up arrow next to the clock to show hidden icons.
2. Select the gear icon, then Settings.
3. Open the Account tab.
4. Select Unlink this PC, then select Unlink account to confirm.

Step 4: Uninstall OneDrive

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
2. Select Apps, then Installed apps.
3. Type OneDrive in the search box at the top of the list.
4. Select the three dots next to Microsoft OneDrive and select Uninstall.
5. Select Uninstall again to confirm, and approve the administrator prompt if one appears.
6. If a second entry named OneDrive is listed and you want it gone too, repeat the last two steps for it.

These steps follow Microsoft’s Turn off, disable, or uninstall OneDrive page.

Other Ways to Uninstall OneDrive

If the Settings route doesn’t work, Microsoft’s guide to uninstalling apps in Windows lists other places to try.

Control Panel

1. Type Control Panel in the taskbar search and open it.
2. Select Programs, then Programs and Features.
3. Right-click Microsoft OneDrive and select Uninstall, then follow the directions on the screen.

Start Menu

Select Start, then All apps, find OneDrive in the list, right-click it, and select Uninstall.

Command Line (winget)

Windows 11 includes winget, the Windows Package Manager, which installs and removes apps from a command window. Right-click Start, select Terminal, and type winget list OneDrive to see the exact name and ID of the app on your PC. Then run winget uninstall followed by that name or ID. Microsoft’s winget uninstall documentation says the command needs the exact application name and will ask you to narrow it down if more than one app matches.

If Your PC Won’t Let You Uninstall OneDrive

When there is no Uninstall option, Microsoft’s alternative is to hide OneDrive and stop it from syncing.

1. Unlink OneDrive using Step 3 above.
2. Open File Explorer, right-click OneDrive, and select Properties.
3. On the General tab, next to Attributes, check Hidden and select OK.
4. Select the OneDrive cloud icon once more, select the gear icon, and select Quit OneDrive. This removes the icon from the notification area.

To undo this later, open the folder’s properties again and clear the Hidden box, then start OneDrive from the Start menu.

How to Confirm OneDrive Is Gone

• The cloud icon no longer appears near the clock, including behind the up arrow.
• Searching for OneDrive in Settings > Apps > Installed apps returns no results.
• Your files still appear when you sign in at OneDrive.com in a browser.

A OneDrive folder may still be in your user folder, holding the files that had been downloaded to the PC. Check that everything you need has been copied somewhere else before you delete it. Because the PC is unlinked, deleting that leftover folder should no longer affect your files online, but checking OneDrive.com first costs nothing.

Fix Folders That Still Point to OneDrive

If you uninstalled without turning off folder backup, Desktop, Documents, or Pictures may still open a location inside the OneDrive folder. The safest fix is to reinstall OneDrive, sign in, and turn off backup properly with Step 2.

Windows also has a manual setting for this, although Microsoft’s OneDrive pages don’t describe it for this situation, so treat it as a fallback. Right-click the folder in File Explorer, select Properties, open the Location tab, and select Restore Default. Then move your files into the restored folder.

Troubleshooting

• There is no cloud icon. OneDrive may not be running. Search for OneDrive in the Start menu and open it, or skip to Step 4 if you never signed in.
• Microsoft OneDrive isn’t in the list. Check for an entry named just OneDrive, or try Control Panel. If it is in neither place, the sync app is not installed.
• Unlink this PC is missing. You are not signed in to OneDrive on this PC, so there is nothing to unlink.
• Uninstall asks for a password. You are using a standard account. Enter an administrator password or ask the person who manages the PC.
• You get an error during the uninstall. Microsoft suggests its Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter, which is linked from the uninstall guide above.

Many websites suggest registry edits, Group Policy changes, or third-party uninstaller tools to strip out every trace of OneDrive. Those steps are not part of Microsoft’s instructions for home users, and a wrong registry change can cause other problems, so this guide leaves them out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does uninstalling OneDrive delete my OneDrive files?

No. Microsoft says you won’t lose files or data by uninstalling OneDrive from your computer, and you can always reach them by signing in at OneDrive.com. Online-only files simply stop being available from File Explorer.

Does uninstalling OneDrive cancel my storage subscription?

No. Removing the app from one PC does not change your Microsoft account or any Microsoft 365 or OneDrive storage plan. Canceling a subscription is a separate step in your Microsoft account.

Can I reinstall OneDrive later?

Yes. Microsoft’s Reinstall OneDrive page explains where to download the sync app. Open the downloaded file, sign in, and OneDrive runs a full sync. Our guide on how to sync OneDrive on Windows 11 covers the setup screens.

Will OneDrive come back after a Windows update?

Microsoft’s support pages don’t say that it will. If the app does show up again after a major update or a reset of the PC, repeat Step 4. As long as you don’t sign in, it won’t sync anything.

What if I only want OneDrive to stop for now?

You don’t need to uninstall it. Pausing sync or unlinking the PC is enough, and both are easy to reverse. See how to turn off OneDrive on Windows 11 for those options.

How do I delete the files in OneDrive too?

Uninstalling the app leaves your cloud files alone. To clear them out, delete them at OneDrive.com or follow our guide on how to delete files from OneDrive on Windows 11 before you unlink.

Next Step

Sign in at OneDrive.com once more and compare it with the folders on your PC. When you are sure every file you need is stored locally or backed up somewhere else, OneDrive is fully out of the picture on this computer.